Established in 1960, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO promotes international cooperation and coordinates programmes in marine research, services, observation systems, hazard mitigation and capacity development in order to learn more and better manage the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas. Through the application of this knowledge the Commission aims to improve management practices and the decision-making process of its Member States, foster sustainable development and protect the marine environment. The large majority of European Union members (23 of 28) are also IOC Member States. Through lead in coordination of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)—the ocean component of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)—IOC/UNESCO helps improve operational oceanography, weather and climate forecasts and monitoring and support the sustained observing needs of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Guided by the Framework for Ocean Observing which was a product of the OceanObs'09 Conference (September 2009, Venice, Italy), GOOS is expanding the societal issues addressed by sustained basin-scale ocean observations, and include new observing networks and technologies addressing biogeochemical, biological, and ecosystems monitoring. The AtlantOS project is an opportunity to apply IOC/UNESCO experience more specifically to the Atlantic context, engaging all of the Atlantic rim Member States, and using the Consortium partners to improve the design and integration of disparate observing networks.